EP2225513B1 - Refrigerating device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a refrigerator with a bowl-shaped container according to the preamble of claim 1.

There are refrigerators have become known in which at least a portion of the goods to be cooled is housed in bowl-shaped containers. These containers can be attached via extracts in the refrigerator. In simpler versions, the containers are held by specialist carriers or are held by guides in the lateral boundary walls of the interior. These may be vegetable peels, frozen food trays or so-called vita fresh trays.

Today, the manufacturers of refrigeration appliances strive to design not only the external appearance of a refrigeration appliance, but also the interior design brand or type specific. Even such containers should be able to be assigned by the consumer of a particular brand or type. Often, therefore, the containers are manufactured individually for each type. However, this leads to high costs, since only a relatively small series can be produced with each tool.

It has also been tried to equip several brands or types of refrigerators with the same containers. In these containers handle strips were attached, which were designed brand or type specific different. These gripping strips are usually made of a cut to length corresponding extruded profile, which is provided after attachment to the container with side caps. However, the design options of an extruded profile are very limited and are usually limited to the color and the lettering. These handles are usually attached via a clamping connection to the upper edge of the front boundary wall of the container. However, this clamp connection does not withstand large loads, so that it often happens that the handle bar dissolves when pulling out of the container.

The US 2003/0020384 A1 discloses a refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1.

The US 2004/0007009 A1 discloses a refrigerator with door racks attached to his door. The door racks each comprise a container with an upper edge, on which colored decorative elements are fastened by means of snap connections.

The DE 20 2005 012 342 U1 discloses a modular refrigerated goods container having a base body and a front wall. Adjacent to a side edge of the front wall extends at least partially a tongue and groove connection between the main body and the front wall.

The invention is based on the object, a refrigeration device, in particular a cooling and / or provide freezer with a cup-shaped container with a handle bar, so that a brand or type-specific distinction is possible only by the handle bar. Furthermore, the handle should be attached to the cup-shaped container so that a detachment of the handle bar during use of the container can be prevented with great certainty.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a refrigerator, in particular a refrigerator and / or freezer, with the features of claim 1. According to the invention the handle bar is positively connected to the container in the form of a tongue and groove connection. On this basis, handle strips can be made very different. It can be used for different brands or types of refrigerators the same container, while still a highly differentiated overall appearance can be achieved. The number of containers produced in a series can thus be increased and the production costs reduced. The positive connection between the handle bar and the cup-shaped container ensures that accidental detachment of the handle bar is avoided during handling of the container.

Advantageously, the spring of the tongue and groove connection is formed by the free end of the front wall of the container. This is a very simple production engineering solution, since no additional parts are needed. The free end of the front wall of the container is already brought into the required shape during the production of the container.

Thus, the tensile and shear forces that are exerted on the handle, in the same way can be transferred to the container, without causing the positive connection between the container and handle bar solves the feather forming free end of the front wall is at least substantially perpendicular arranged to the container bottom.

In one embodiment, the spring-forming free end of the front wall is directed into the container space. With appropriate shape of the handle bar so when plugging a kind of snap connection, which also able to absorb tensile and compressive forces alike.

Particularly advantageous is the spring completely covered by the handle. It creates a smooth surface that is easy to clean and can be designed very differentiated.

The handle bar must be mounted so that it can be well embraced. Only in this way is it guaranteed that it can also be used to be able to pull a fully loaded container out of the refrigeration device. The handle bar is arranged for this purpose within a step-like recess.

The step-like recess advantageously extends over the entire width of the front wall. In this way, many options for the procedure are given and the container can be taken both in the middle but also sideways and pulled out.

The area that allows a type-specific design should be as large and conspicuous as possible. The handle bar therefore extends over the entire width of the front wall.

According to the invention the handle bar has a downwardly open groove which is shaped so that the upper edge of the front of the container and in each case a part of the upper edges of the two side parts of the container can be received in the groove. This results in a tongue and groove connection in which both the spring and the groove form a right angle. As a result, a particularly high stability is achieved, which securely connects the handle bar with the container even under difficult conditions.

The grip bar can be latched to the container. The mounting of the handle can be done in this way without additional fasteners and without tools. This can also reduce the production costs.

The positive connection between the handle and container can be achieved either over the front edge of the front or over the areas of the upper edges of the side parts, which can be accommodated in the groove. For this purpose, these upper edges have a thickening. For certain applications, it is sufficient if the thickening is attached only to the upper edge of the front or only to the appropriate, provided for receiving in the groove areas of the upper edges of the side parts. The greatest strength is achieved, however, if the thickening provided for the positive connection is applied to all three upper edges.

In order to record the thickening positively, the groove in the handle on its sole widening. This expansion encloses after locking the thickening at the upper edge of the container, whereby a positive connection is formed.

Advantageously, at least one of the legs delimiting the groove is elastic. This elastic leg can dodge so when plugging the handle of the thickening at the top of the container. Once the final locked position is reached, the elastic leg returns to its original position and abuts against the container rim.

The thickening and the widening can be shaped so that a release of the achieved positive locking is not possible at all or only with a special tool. However, it is also a shape possible that allows a release of the connection with the same effort with which the locking was closed. This shape would allow easy replacement of the handle, for example, in case of damage.

Since no openings in the handle bar are necessary for the connection between handle and container, the handle bar can be provided with a smooth surface. This smooth surface offers much more different design options than, for example, a surface with breakthroughs.

Advantageously, the outside of the handle bar is designed brand-specific. This brand-specific design can be expressed both by the shape, as well as color and lettering. Also material and surface texture can be used differently according to specific characteristics. Particularly advantageously, the handle bar is provided with a metallic surface. This leads to a valued overall appearance of the cup-shaped container. A metallic surface is of a higher quality than a paint finish and is also less expensive to produce.

The bowl-shaped container according to the invention is basically suitable for different applications. For example, it can be used in a rack or a cupboard to store various small parts. However, it is particularly advantageous in a refrigerator used. This may be z. B. a refrigerator, a freezer or a combination device act.

Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims in conjunction with the description of an embodiment which is explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine Unteransicht der Griffleiste des erfindungsgemäßen schalenförmigen Behälters,

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt durch die Griffleiste nach Fig. 1 und durch den schalenförmigen Behälter vor der Montage und

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung des schalenförmigen Behälters mit montierter Griffleiste.

It shows:

Fig. 1

a bottom view of the handle bar of the cup-shaped container according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a section through the handle after Fig. 1 and through the bowl-shaped container before mounting and

Fig. 3

a perspective view of the bowl-shaped container with mounted handle.

The handle 1 has a cover plate 8. With this cover plate 8, an outer edge 5, an inner edge 4, a side edge 2 and a web 7 is connected. The cover plate 8, the side edges 2, the inner edge 4 and the outer edge 5 together form the outer contour of the handle 1. The web 7 also connected to the cover plate 8 extends along the longitudinal axis of the handle 1 and connects the two side edges 2 together.

The groove 3 is U-shaped and is at its sole 11 through the cover plate. 8 limited. The two legs of the U-shaped groove 3 are formed in the middle region of the cover plate 8 by the web 7 and the inner edge 4. On both sides, the groove 3 has a protruding at right angles projection. In this area, the function of the web 7 is taken over by the groove-forming part 6 of the side edge 2.

In the central region, the groove 3 serves to receive the upper edge of the container front wall 13 of the cup-shaped container 12, which forms the front wall here. In order to ensure a positive connection between the handle bar 1 and the cup-shaped container 12, the web 7 at its free edge a thickening 9. By this horizontally projecting into the groove 3 thickening 9 is formed on the sole 11 of the groove 3, a widening 10. The head 12 at the upper edge of the container front wall 13, the upper portion here forms the spring is formed according to the expansion 10 of the groove 3. When attaching the handle bar 1 so the desired positive connection arises.

Particularly advantageous are also serving as a spring areas of the upper edges of the container side walls 14 provided with a corresponding head. For receiving the head of the container side walls 14, not shown in the drawing, the lateral extensions of the groove 3 are formed in the same way as the average part of the groove shown in section. In this way, a positive connection can also be made between the container side walls 14 and the handle 1.

The cup-shaped container 12 can be manufactured in large numbers for a larger number of types, models or brands of refrigerators. The handle 1, however, is made specifically. Among the various design options that can be applied here, includes a different color, different shapes, surfaces, as well as labels or imprints. Even the use of different materials is conceivable.

Just by the different design options of the handle 1 can be a specific overall appearance of the finished assembled cup-shaped container reach. Due to the positive connection between handle 1 and cup-shaped container 12 unintentional detachment of the handle bar is reliably prevented. The combination of handle bar and bowl-shaped container is therefore also perceived as a unit in use, the handle bar emphasizing the specific character of this unit.

In the embodiment shown here is in Fig. 3 a cup-shaped container 12 is shown, on which a rail fastening 15 is provided. About appropriate rails, the container can be pulled out of the refrigerator for better accessibility. However, the invention is equally applicable to other bowl-shaped containers.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

handle bar

2

margin

3

groove

4

inner edge

5

outer edge

6

Groove forming part of the side edge

7

web

8th

cover plate

9

thickening

10

widening

11

Sole of the groove

12

container

13

Container front wall

14

Container sidewall

15

rail fastening

16

head

Claims (12)

1. Refrigerating device, in particular a refrigerator and/or freezer, having a refrigerating chamber and at least one drawer-type container (12) disposed in a movable manner therein and a handle strip (1) disposed thereon, which handle strip (1) is connected with a positive fit to the container (12) in the form of a groove and spring connection, wherein the handle strip (1) has a groove (3) that is open at the bottom, which groove (3) is shaped so that the upper edge (16) of the front wall (13) of the container (12) can be held in the groove (3) and the groove (3) has a widening (10) at its base (11), characterised in that part of the upper edges of both side parts (14) of the container (12) can be held in the groove (3) and the upper edge (16) of the front wall (13) and/or the regions of the upper edges of the side parts (14) that can be held in the groove (3) have a thickened head (16).
2. Refrigerating device according to claim 1, characterised in that the spring of the groove and spring connection is formed by the free end of the front wall (13) of the container (12).
3. Refrigerating device according to claim 2, characterised in that the free end of the front wall (13) forming the spring is disposed at least essentially perpendicular to the container base.
4. Refrigerating device according to claim 3, characterised in that the free end of the front wall (13) forming the spring points into the container space.
5. Refrigerating device according to one of claims 1-4, characterised in that the spring is completely covered by the handle strip (1).
6. Refrigerating device according to one of claims 1-5, characterised in that the handle strip (1) is disposed within a step-type recess.
7. Refrigerating device according to claim 6, characterised in that the step-type recess extends over the entire width of the front wall (13).
8. Refrigerating device according to one of claims 1-7, characterised in that the handle strip (1) extends over the entire width of the front wall (13).
9. Refrigerating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one arm (7) bounding the groove (3) is elastic.
10. Refrigerating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the outside of the handle strip (1) has a smooth surface.
11. Refrigerating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the outside of the handle strip (1) is configured in a brand specific manner.
12. Refrigerating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle strip (1) is provided with a metallic surface.

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